2020 Kia Niro

The 2020 Kia Niro is an in-between hybrid car, straddling the line between 4-door hatchback and compact crossover. On sale in the US since the 2017 model year in its first generation, this hybrid crossover utilizes a 1.56 kWh battery and electric motor to supplement a 1.6-liter gasoline 4-cylinder engine. System outputs are 139 horsepower, sent to a front-wheel drive system via a 6-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, but the headline is a 50 mpg gas mileage rating that puts it firmly in the same ballpark as rivals like the Toyota Prius and Hyundai Ioniq. Combining Kia's typical style with the practicality and popularity of a crossover seems like a surefire winner. The reality, however, is a middling drive that will only appeal to those who view a vehicle as nothing more than an appliance and value world-beating gas mileage.

As a hybrid model, the 2020 Niro crossover combines electrification with combustion for greater efficiency. In this case, it combines a 1.6-liter gasoline inline-4 developing 104 hp and 109 lb-ft of torque with an electric motor boasting 43 hp and 125 lb-ft. The result is a combined 139 hp and 195 lb-ft and 50 mpg on the combined cycle. A front-wheel drive system is the default here, and the Niro employs a 6-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. As this is not a PHEV - a plug-in version is available but we review this 2020 Kia Niro variant separately - it cannot be charged by outside sources and instead relies on regenerative braking capabilities.

If you want a high-riding hatchback with an extremely efficient powertrain, the 2020 Niro hybrid CUV fits the bill perfectly. It's a seriously attractive offering in its class and the things it's good at, it does very well. Among these are the excellent infotainment system, its top warranty cover, and its exemplary efficiency. However, these good traits struggle to paper over some of its most obvious flaws, the most notable being that you can't have AWD and it has no rated towing capacity. If these aren't deal-breakers, you'd still be a little put out that Kia couldn't get the ride/handling balance quite right. To add insult to injury, performance is middling at best and the typical dual-clutch pull-away lag and its occasional indecisiveness detracts from the experience. If you can live with the flaws, it's a very attractive and well-equipped compact crossover-cum-hatchback.

We'd avoid the cheapest LX and go for nothing less than the LXS instead. The price of the 2020 Kia Niro SUV in this form is not much higher than that of the base LX, yet it adds keyless entry with push-button start, a leather-trimmed steering wheel and shift knob, and crucial driver-assistance features such as forward-collision warning (including pedestrian detection), driver-attention warning, rear cross-traffic alert, and lane-keep assist. Higher up, bigger wheels, a sunroof, and even more safety tech are available, but the LXS will meet most people's needs perfectly.